Albeit the death-core genre wouldn’t normally be one’s preferred choice in the world of Metal and having not heard previously of Thy Art is Murder, an open mind was needed before attempting to write this review. Needless to say if you like your technical, fast-paced death metal, incorporated with …
Read More »Electric Taurus – Limelight 2, Belfast – Saturday March 30th 2013
It’s the last Saturday in March, and just hours before the clocks are turned forward the start of what is supposed to be British Summer Time – what a feckin’ joke! Outside, the temperature is barely pushing above zero degrees, and inside… well, I swear it’s even colder, with the …
Read More »Scar Symmetry / Beholder / Bloodshot Dawn – The Pint, Dublin – 30th March 2013
The Pint venue has undergone a revamp. The owners and promoter have increased the size of the stage, invested in a quality lighting rig, improved the sound system, and spoiled us with air conditioning. All of these improvements have made the Pint THE best venue in Dublin for underground metal …
Read More »Gloria Morti – ‘Lateral Constraint’
Right from the outset, this fourth album from Finnish thrash metal five piece Gloria Morti is a bruising, punishing affair, treading a path between thrash and death metal, with elements of BM thrown in for good measure. It’s not that the band can’t make up their mind which sub-genre they …
Read More »Patria – ‘Nihil Est Monastica’
This fifth album from the Brazilian duo of Mantus and Triumphsword is very much an homage to the traditional values of late ‘80s / early ‘90s black metal. And it carries no pretensions about being otherwise. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GRCarR-JE] Each of the 12 tracks (the titular opener is very much a cinematic-style …
Read More »Joe Bonamassa – Hammersmith Apollo, London – 28th March 2013
Tonight was the third of Joe Bonamassa’s run of four London shows within a week. Each show is at a different venue, with different musicians involved at each and a different setlist at each show. Having played the Borderline and Shepherds Bush Empire earlier in the week, tonight’s show was …
Read More »Voodoo Six pictures – King Tut’s, Glasgow 26/3/13
Some pictures from Voodoo Six's recent gig in King Tut's Wah Wah hut in Glasgow
Read More »Visions of Atlantis interview, 25th March 2013
I spoke to Martin Harb, keyboard player and main songwriter for Visions of Atlantis shortly before they played at the Boston music rooms in London with Serenity and Souldrinker to talk about their brand new album, Ethera which had been released on Napalm records that day, their upcoming appearance at …
Read More »Serenity interview – 25th March 2013
I spoke to Clémentine Delauney, singer with Serenity shortly before the band performed on stage at the Boston music rooms in London to talk about their new album, War of Ages, which had been released on Napalm records that morning. Serenity Interview with Ant May of Planetmosh
Read More »Escape the fate interview, 27th March 2013
Earlier this week I spoke to a very tired Craig Mabbitt, lead singer with Escape the fate to talk about the new album and their upcoming tour dates and festival appearances. Escape the fate interview
Read More »Toxic Holocaust – From the Ashes of Nuclear Destruction (Relapse)
Toxic Holocaust formed in 1999 in the USA originally as a one man project in the shape of Joel Grind. The band were picked up on their third album by Relapse and to date have released four lps, four eps and contributed more tracks to splits and compilations that collecting …
Read More »Finntroll – Interview with Mathias (vreth)
Following the release of their new album Blodsvept, I spoke to Mathias from Finntroll about the new album and their upcoming European tour starting, with some random questions thrown in for good measure. Finntroll will be playing at the Underworld in Camden on 13th May so go onto the venue’s website and …
Read More »FM, It Bites and Vega Academy 2 Review 21.03.13
The AOR night begins with Vega. It has been almost two years since I last saw them at AOR Firefest in Nottingham Rock City. Vega opened with “Kiss of Life” from their debut album, noted as an AOR masterpiece. They captured an great 80’s feel with crowd pleasing songs …
Read More »Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent
Sometimes, a much-loved and highly successful band needs to shake things up a bit to keep things fresh and interesting for their fans and for themselves, all the while retaining the signature sonic hallmarks that have defined their sound. For their upcoming sixth album, Massachusetts metal pioneers Killswitch Engage reunited …
Read More »Flotsam And Jetsam – Ugly Noise
Flotsam And Jetsam are stalwarts in the thrash metal sub-genre, having formed under the direction of drummer Kelly David-Smith in the very early 1980’s. These Phoenix ‘bangers hardly need introduction. This was, at one point in time, a crowd-financed album, and the quality of the output seems to be a …
Read More »Mia Klose interview
I spoke to Mia Klose recently and asked her a few questions about her music and upcoming shows including Hard Rock Hell AOR, NLC/RACPA festival and Sweden Rocks Festival. First of all, for anyone who hasnt listened to you before, how would you describe your music? It’s 80s inspired classic …
Read More »RUSSKAJA – ENERGIA
Russkaja are a “Russian Turbo Polka Metal” band from Austria. Their style is a mix of Balkan Metal, Polka and a little bit thrash metal. Their most famous song is ‘Psycho Traktor’ and always welcomed on festivals e.g. the Wacken Open Air. The upcoming album is called “Energia!” and will …
Read More »Wounds – ‘Die Young’
If ever an album title was appropriate, it is this one from this young Dublin hardcore quartet. Just like the band’s previous EP, ‘Dead Dead Fucking Dead’, the album is somewhat of a cathartic experience, dealing as it does with the band’s recovery after vocalist Aidan Coogan almost died in …
Read More »Rectified Spirit – ‘Rectified Spirit’
As the world’s economic axis turns in upon itself, switching its power base from the colonialist West to the formerly subjugated and colonialized east, could it be argued that the crux of the metal world is about to shift in the same direction? Over recent years, the encroachment of acts …
Read More »Estrella Interview – The Vale, Glasgow – 23rd March 2013
I caught up with the Estrella lads before their gig at The Vale in Glasgow, the support band were soundchecking, so out we braved it, into the freezing Scottish, arctic like night. [youtube http://youtu.be/7Cte87nbQp4] You can also read the full review of the gig itself right here Estrella are: …
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